


The Dragon and His Scales

by stepOnMeZenos



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Au Ra Xaela Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Consensual But Not Safe Or Sane, Dom/sub, Dominant Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), M/M, Masochist Zenos yae Galvus, Oral Sex, Painplay, Shinryu-Hybrid Zenos yae Galvus, Size Difference, Submissive Zenos yae Galvus, Trans Male Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Vaginal Sex, Vague Undefined Canon Divergence, ZenoHika Week 2020 (Final Fantasy XIV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:08:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26122477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stepOnMeZenos/pseuds/stepOnMeZenos
Summary: Zenos' plans for Shinryu don't quite work out as expected. Sorkhatu considers this the opposite of a problem.ZenoHika Week day 4, prompt: Dragon
Relationships: Zenos yae Galvus/Warrior of Light
Kudos: 35





	The Dragon and His Scales

**Author's Note:**

> Day 4! Halfway done!

Scales—green like Shinryu's had been and black, though neither covered his face. A fierce mane of lush gold, a waterfall running down his back and beyond. Wings spreading out from the back, large even on his gargantuan body, which seemed to be a little taller than usual still, and a long tail whipping back and forth behind him. 

Sorkhatu craned his neck to look up at Zenos' face. His eyes remained the same: blue as an aetheryte. The Resonant had not permanently changed his features, not even after merging with Shinryu… 

What differed, however, was his armor. More specifically, it did not seem to exist anymore. And the scales now covering his body did absolutely nothing to hide his physique, or certain… anatomical parts… 

Sorkhatu forced his gaze upwards. 

Finally, Zenos spoke up, in a voice that was simultaneously the same as always and yet somehow more voluminous. “This… power thrumming through my chest. I had not expected it to be like this.“ 

“What _did_ you expect, then?“ Sorkhatu asked. Anything to distract himself from that oh-so-appealing body. 

“I had thought to take control of its body, to suppress its will and steer it as I please, but it seems that that is not how it works.“ 

“That's what you get for volunteering yourself for ridiculous experiments,“ Sorkhatu said. Not that the outcome wasn't… appealing. Shinryu was possessed of a fearsome beauty, but it didn't hold a candle to what Zenos now looked like. “What will you do now? _I_ certainly don't know how to return you to normal.“ 

“Judging by the looks you have given me, I am not so certain you would even want to.“ 

Damn. He could never fool Zenos, could he?

“Of course I want you to return to normal. Just… mayhap not right away.“

“You find this form attractive, then?“ Zenos asked. 

“Do you see these?“ Sorkhatu pointed at the scales dotting his face. “You can't blame me for finding scales attractive.“ He trailed a finger across the scales on Zenos' hip. They were warm, just as Zenos was, and slightly rough to the touch, much like Xaela scales.

Abruptly, Zenos leaned over, wrapped his arms around him and lifted him up as if he weighed nothing. He did claim that Sorkhatu was light as a feather ever so often...

“I know what you want,“ Zenos said. The slight rasp to it, the way he drawled the words… irresistible. And he likely wasn't even doing it on purpose. “I will give it to you.“

Sorkhatu reached out and buried his hand in Zenos' newly acquired mane. Was it even silkier than his normal hair had been? Was that even possible? “Forward as ever, for someone who says he doesn't care much for the pleasures of the flesh. But who am I to say no to that?“

“Then let us bear no further delays. The flower patches will serve as a bed for us.“

“What? No. I want a proper bed.“ Aside from being uncomfortable, it would ruin the flowers. Someone had to have carefully tended to them for the patches to flourish so in this climate. There wasn't any point in messing up their hard work. 

Zenos' smile faded a little. “If you insist, then we shall make it so. There are guest chambers for dignitaries close to the menagerie.“ 

“They will do.“ 

While cradling Sorkhatu to his chest, Zenos walked towards the gates inside the palace with wide arching strides. Sorkhatu buried his face in his shoulder. The feeling of scales rubbing against him was wonderful. They still differed from Auri scales a little; they were larger, for one, and though they shared the rough surface, the texture still wasn't quite the same. It was close enough, however. Oh, how long it had been since he had felt the sensation of scales rubbing against his body… 

Fortunately, the hallways were empty. The menagerie's vicinity had been evacuated in advance, otherwise nobody would have ever agreed to allow Zenos to try harnessing Shinryu's power. Even with that precaution, it had required no small amount of fast-talking, and if anyone had thought of a better idea of how to dispose of Shinryu, it still wouldn't have been permitted. As it was, nobody remained in Ala Mhigo who could have run into them. 

Awkward questions might have arisen otherwise. 

Zenos threw open a door and carried Sorkhatu inside. The room was quite luxurious, he noted from his vantage point in Zenos' arms; a king-size canopy bed complete with lush velvet covers, and all sorts of other furniture that wasn't relevant for what they were about to do. Everything was perhaps a bit dusty, but they would make do.

He wriggled out of Zenos' grasp and undressed, dropping his clothes on the bare floor. Once naked, he hopped up onto the bed and ran a hand across the velvet. 

“Does it meet your approval?“

“And how,“ Sorkhatu said. “Come join me.“

The bed dipped significantly under Zenos as he lay down next to Sorkhatu. Was he even heavier in this form? By now, Sorkhatu was certain he was _larger_ than normal, which, combined with the scales, would certainly contribute to his weight…

“I can stay like this if you wish. It would not bother me.“

“Oh no,“ Sorkhatu said. “Certainly not. I am quite attached to your usual appearance. But I will enjoy this alteration for a time.“ He leaned in for a kiss, while running his hands over Zenos' scaled chest.

Zenos, however, had other ideas. 

Scaled and clawed hands descended upon him, flipped him over on his back and held him down, with Zenos hovering over him. The blonde mane cascaded down onto the bed around them, forming a curtain around him. Sorkhatu could have done something to prevent all of this, but why would he? Zenos taking charge was a pleasant change of pace.

“What are you going to do, now that I'm all helpless?“ he teased. How would Zenos respond? They weren't prone to banter with the positions reversed, but surely he would…

...frown and shake his head. “You're no wilting flower. Don't belittle us with such nonsense.“

“I was _trying_ to set the mood, Zenos.“ 

“...why like this?“

Sorkhatu laughed. “Oh, you're hopeless at this. Just kiss me.“ 

Zenos' frown didn't quite subside, but he obliged anyway. As always, his kiss lacked any sort of finesse or gentleness. He simply mashed their lips together until Sorkhatu took charge and directed the kiss to something more enjoyable. In this, Zenos seemed perfectly comfortable to follow his lead. 

His hair was just too irresistible. As they kissed, Sorkhatu lifted a hand from his cheek and buried it in the luscious mane. Oh, what a pleasurable texture. He could have run his hands through it all day long. 

However, he knew Zenos. He would be getting bored with a regular kiss about now, and they couldn't have that. Thus, Sorkhatu grabbed on tightly and then _yanked_ at the hair. 

Zenos' head didn't budge far, of course. He was too strong for that. He did, however, allow his eyes to fall shut at the sensation. It was the secret to getting Zenos to enjoy kissing: pulling his hair. He loved it more than was reasonable. But whyever should he not indulge him? It cost him nothing, and won him the sight of bliss on Zenos' face. 

He continued yanking his hair this way and that for a while, then nudged at Zenos' chest to get him off.

Zenos, of course, didn't move. Was that how he wanted to play today? Just as well. Sorkhatu tapped his arm and sent a painful jolt through his body. It made his limbs spasm for a moment, and in that moment, Sorkhatu managed to shove him off onto his back.

As predicted, he only laughed in response. “Marvellous! I have not seen you do this before.“ 

“I do come up with new spells quite often.“ Sorkhatu scooted over to him and straddled his hips. “You like that one, then?“

“I would like it more if you could extend the duration of the effect.“

“Beggars can't be choosers, you know?“ Sorkhatu leaned forward and placed his hands on Zenos' chest. “Maybe you should just accept what I give you, shut your big mouth and let me have my fun, hmm?“

And just like that, they'd slipped back into their usual dynamic. Not that that was a real issue; however, one day, Sorkhatu _would_ find a way to push Zenos' buttons just so to gaud him into taking charge completely.

His words only prompted more laughter from Zenos. “You would put me in my place, then? Make me grovel at your feet?“ 

“Maybe I will,“ Sorkhatu mused. “Maybe I'll string you up like an art object, to admire your pretty shape at my leisure. Would you like that?“

The smile that spread on Zenos' face was nothing short of feral. “If you _make_ me, hunter, I will like everything you inflict on me.“ He grabbed one of Sorkhatu's hands and forcibly pulled it upwards, off his chest. “But can you? That is the real question...“ 

“Well,“ Sorkhatu said, “presumably you did not know this when you made your proposal for how to deal with Shinryu, but I had ample opportunities to study the containment device and how it works, so...“ He snapped his fingers, more for effect than anything else. The spell came together quickly, mimicking the aetherial flow that the device had created. To the naked eye, naught was visible, but the way Zenos' eyes widened told Sorkhatu that it had worked. 

“Moving is hard like this, isn't it?“ He pulled his hand free of Zenos' easily. Of course, the spell wouldn't work anywhere near as well as the actual device. If Zenos genuinely tried, he would break free. Against a primal hellsbent on vanquishing him, it would have very little effect. However, Zenos craved being forced to submit. He wasn't likely to end it prematurely, even if he knew on some level that it was make-believe. 

(Even if he was largely unable or unwilling to play pretend with the roles reversed.) 

“I had not expected this… You are full of surprises.“ Zenos exhaled slowly. “I am paralysed. What will you do with me now?“ 

“I told you, didn't I? You're my prized art object now. Mine to look at, mine to touch and mine to care for however I please. But if you ask nicely, I might just take your opinion into consideration.“ He shifted backwards, rubbing against Zenos' beginning erection. That would be fun to play with… later. For now, he had other ideas.

He rose from his seat and scooted up until he sat on the bed next to Zenos' head. Under his feral gaze, he began trailing the outline of the scales covering his throat with a fingertip, barely making contact. If he actually were Auri, he would be rubbing his horns up and down now, but he was not… and this was the next best thing. 

It felt good to touch another's scales again. It made Sorkhatu wonder what Zenos would look like if he were an Au Ra; what shape would his horns have taken, where would he have scales? Would they be glossy or not?

“How long do you plan on petting me, beast? I want more.“

“You're not asking nicely,“ Sorkhatu said, “so I don't particularly care what you think. I for one enjoy this.“ But he did move his hand further down to his chest, where he continued exploring the scales with his fingers, and then went on towards his stomach. “You do feel my touch, do you not?“

“Yes,“ Zenos said gruffly. 

“Then you can either lie back and accept that that's what I'm giving you right now, or—“ Sorkhatu leaned forward and looked him in the eye. “You can beg for more.“

Zenos pursed his lips, but the seconds ticked by and he remained silent. So he wasn't willing to go that far just yet. No matter; he'd get there, sooner or later.

In the meantime, there were scales asking to be pet. Gently, of course. 

He worked his way further down Zenos' body, but instead of tending to the area between his legs, he switched to the outside of his thighs and from there on towards his knees. In truth, pleasant though touching these scales felt, he would have moved on to something else by now, but the frustrated growl Zenos gave off made waiting more than worth it. 

“What's the matter?“ Sorkhatu asked sweetly. “Are you ticklish?“

“You know very well I'm n—“ Zenos inhaled sharply after Sorkhatu grabbed ahold of his member. Unlike the rest of his body, it wasn't scaled; they covered the rest of the area, but stopped just short of the actual appendage. Good. The chafing would have been awful. 

“I _was_ planning on letting you stew even longer, but the thought of seeing you writhe under my hands pleasuring you, wholly unable to participate—that thought changed my mind.“ Sorkhatu smiled as he began pumping up and down. Where before he had barely made contact with Zenos' body, he now gripped tightly and moved with force. 

Zenos didn't quite writhe—he probably couldn't, not properly—but his breath quickened and he managed a feeble twitch that might have been trying to thrust into Sorkhatu's hand. 

“What would you do now if not for me immobilising you? Tell me. Would you turn the tables on me?“ 

“If not for that,“ Zenos spoke haltingly, eyes transfixed on what Sorkhatu was doing to him, “I would let you feel these scales you desire so. We would claw at each other with all our might—gorge ourselves on each other's blood—“

Sorkhatu hummed. “Is that so? What a shame you won't get to do any of it.“ He let go and moved to examine the wings stretching out over the bed, feigning indifference, even though his own arousal had begun to wet the sheets beneath him. “These are quite majestic. I wonder if you can fly with them...“ 

“Must you play around so?“ Zenos said. Then he made a choked noise when the hand that was touching his wing sent a powerful electric jolt through him.

“I didn't ask for your opinion,“ Sorkhatu said. “You need to learn to be quiet unless spoken to.“

“I d—“

Sorkhatu didn't wait for him to finish this sentence before shocking him again. “That was not a question that required your input.“

Undeterred, Zenos laughed. “How good you have grown at putting me in my place...“

“You, darling, are too damned noisy today.“ Sorkhatu feigned an annoyed sigh. “Fortunately, I know very well how to get you to shut up.“ He rose, walked over to Zenos and unceremoniously sat down on his face, aligning his hole with his mouth. “There. Put your mouth to use and earn your keep.“

Zenos didn't waste any time. He had in the past expressed that he enjoyed eating Sorkhatu out in this position, though more because he liked the feeling of powerlessness that came with it than anything else. Sorkhatu, for his part, simply enjoyed the feeling of his tongue doing unspeakable things to him.

As with so many other things (outside of kissing), Zenos was very, _very_ good at doing this.

“There,“ he said, a little breathlessly, “that's much better, don't you think?“ He buried his hands in Zenos' hair again, tugging it sharply this way and that, which brought a pleased gasp from Zenos. 

“I could just have you finish me off and leave you like this,“ Sorkatu mused. “Immobile and all alone with your arousal, unable to do anything about it until the spell wears off—and I haven't the slightest idea when that'll be. And you'd enjoy that, wouldn't you? Me condemning you to that fate?“

Zenos made a sound that could be affirmative, or it could not be. Sorkhatu didn't know. Didn't particularly care, either. 

“But since I know how much you would love that, I'm not going to give it to you.“ Abruptly, Sorkhatu rose from his seat.

“With your taste on my lips, I—“

Sorkhatu slapped him across his unscaled face. It wasn't a heavy slap; he wasn't that strong to begin with, and he'd hardly used all his strength, but it was enough to make Zenos quiet down. For a few seconds, at least. 

The sigh Zenos made was best described as wanton. “More of that, my beast. Make me feel it. No more games!“

“Are you ready to beg for it, then?“ Sorkhatu asked. “You know you won't get out of it.“

Zenos had once said that he loved to loathe these situations. He hated having to beg for his pleasure—but oh, he loved being made to… 

“Please,“ he said. 

“Do it properly or don't do it at all.“ 

Zenos took a deep breath. “Please,“ he repeated. “I want—I _need_ to feel it. I beg of you...“ 

Sorkhatu tapped his lip. “Hm. I'll accept the attempt. Do practise this before the next time we do this, though. I won't be as lenient again.“

He said it every time. It had become something of a ritual. Zenos didn't make for a convincing beggar, and he wouldn't learn to either. It still was oddly charming to see him try. 

“Now, this does present something of a problem,“ he continued, feigning a casual tone. “Slapping you in the face doesn't quite appeal as much as slapping you on the rear end, and with all those scales that would hardly have the same effect. Now what do I do with you instead...“ He hadn't brought any toys or other implements, as he hadn't exactly anticipated any of this to happen. That left magic. Fortunately, he did have a few new tricks up his sleeve. 

“How about this, then?“ He laid a hand on Zenos' chest, gathered some aether and released it into his body. The entire process took about a minute, but the effect was immediate once it was done. Zenos jolted; despite the containment spell, his back actually arched a little. A gasp wrenched itself from his throat, and his eyes went wide, wide, wide. 

“What was that?“ he choked out.

“I've been studying healing magic of late,“ Sorkhatu said, patting his chest, “and I still display zero aptitude for it, but it did open up some interesting new avenues for using my existing skills. Like sending a coordinated pain response through your nervous system. Did you like it?“

“Yes!“

Typical. Not even a single breath wasted on asking whether it was even safe to do. It _was_ , of course, Sorkhatu wouldn't test something on him that was actually dangerous, but still. Most people would be worried about what releasing aether into someone's body with the intent to cause pain would do. 

“Then you're in luck,“ Sorkhatu said instead of voicing any of his thoughts. “There is more where that came from. I can apply this selectively to parts of your body, adjust the intensity and duration, introduce a delay before the onset… endless applications. Do you want more?“

“Yes,“ Zenos said—he stopped just short of yelling it, but his enthusiasm was unmistakable. He was a masochist through and through, in the end. 

Sorkhatu ran a finger across the scales covering Zenos' collarbone and sent another jolt through his body; lighter, this time, but a taste of what was to come. “Then I'll be nice and give you what you asked for.“ 

The shudder that had gone through Zenos over the weaker pain made way for a full-blown howl when he amped up the intensity. It lasted for but a moment, but it still left him shivering and gasping for breath—and smiling broadly. 

“How did that feel?“

“Marvellous. Such delicious pain, I—“ Zenos inhaled sharply when Sorkhatu set off a cascade of mild stinging pain spreading through his limbs. “I crave more.“ 

“I could safely test the limits of your pain tolerance with this,“ Sorkhatu said. “See how long it takes for you to start wanting it to stop.“

“Then do it! Bring me to my limits!“

“As you wish,“ Sorkhatu murmured. 

What followed was a slow escalation from a mild burning sensation that even Sorkhatu himself might have found enjoyable, to a persistent ache gripping Zenos' entire body and then to something bordering on agony. Amidst all this, Sorkhatu loosened the containment spell, allowing Zenos to writhe as he pleased. 

And writhe he did. In between delighted (and delight _ful_ ) gasps and moans, he threw his head this way and that or clutched affected limbs as Sorkhatu ramped up the pain. He kept varying the quality, intensity and location so as to keep Zenos on his toes, and oh, what marvellous effects it had on him. His lips had parted. His eyes alternated between wide open staring at the ceiling, plainly without actually taking in any of it, and fluttering shut in between heaving breaths. 

And still he kept begging for more. “Please,“ he rasped, “give me more—“ His voice had taken on a desperate pleading quality it had not had before. Interesting. So that was what it took to get him to beg in earnest.

“I'll take you all the way then, if you trust me with that power,“ Sorkhatu said. He let the pain fade for a little while as he went back to caressing Zenos' beautiful scales. 

“I trust you with that, and so much more...“ Zenos murmured in between deep breaths. 

“Then let us see how much you can take.“

He cupped Zenos' face in his hands and then, as he softly caressed his cheek, resumed where he had stopped. Pain lanced through Zenos' body once more, growing more and more intense by the second. Any normal man would have been begging for him to stop by now, but Zenos—Zenos gazed up at him with a dazed smile, crystal-blue eyes clouded with pleasure. It was a look of bliss. Of utter rapture. 

The seconds ticked by and Zenos' breathing grew laboured, his movements jerky and aimless. A high-pitched whine wrenched free from his throat. It wasn't a sound Sorkhatu had ever heard from him.

Should he stop? Zenos hadn't given any indication that he wanted him to and he still wore the same blissful expression, but at the same time, Sorkhatu knew very well how deep his self-destructive tendencies ran. He might not want to stop even when it would be better to… 

“Enough!“ Zenos cried out. 

Immediately, Sorkhatu released all spells he had placed on Zenos, leaving him shaking and gasping for breath. “Did I go too far? How do you feel?“ he asked. Nhaama, if he'd messed this up—

“You were resplendent,“ Zenos rasped. There was a slight stutter to his words, which was deeply unusual for him. How out of it was he, exactly? “I had not… hadn't thought anyone could bring me to a point where the pain is well and truly _unbearable_...“ He smiled up at Sorkhatu—exhausted, but beaming despite it. “Magnificent, my dear hunter, and deeply pleasurable, but I… may need a brief moment of respite.“ 

“And who could blame you,“ Sorkhatu muttered. “Take your time. I'll stay by your side.“ He lay down next to Zenos, cradling his head. Neither of them had climaxed yet, and Sorkhatu, for his part, could feel his nether regions throb with need now that he wasn't laser-focused on what he'd been doing to Zenos, but it could wait a while. “You'll tell me if you need something, won't you?“

“Yes,“ Zenos murmured. The shaking of his body slowly subsided as his frantic breathing calmed down bit by bit. Sorkhatu once again ran his hands through his hair; gently, this time, without pulling. They'd done enough for a day. Zenos wouldn't need any more stimulation at this point.

For a time, they lay still, simply enjoying each other's company. It was good to see Zenos with such a peaceful facial expression; eyes closed, the corners of his mouth subtly upturned. The worries Sorkhatu had held over taking things too far subsided. He reached out and softly rubbed over the scales covering Zenos' hands. Hopefully that was as soothing for Zenos as it was for him. 

“We still have business to attend to, do we not?“ Zenos murmured without opening his eyes.

“Yes, but we can wait until you feel up for it.“

“Don't belittle me,“ Zenos said. “You brought me _to_ my limit. Not beyond. I am fine.“ He rolled over to his side (with some difficulties; that wing had to go somewhere, after all), slipped a hand between Sorkhatu's legs. Sorkhatu's breath hitched as a scaled finger worked its way into him. It did chafe. Quite a bit so, in fact. 

“I thought you liked scales,“ Zenos said. 

“Not _in_ me. Auri men don't have scaled penises or fingers, usually.“ 

Zenos looked down at himself. “Neither do I, on the first count. Shall we?“

“Go on...“

Without further ado, Zenos turned over so that he was hovering on top of him, mimicking the position they had started in. Sorkhatu lifted his legs and aligned their bodies so that Zenos could push inside.

He took it slow this time, worked his member in and then pushed deeper in a steady but leisurely pace. 'Twas a good thing Sorkhatu's body was built to take Auri cocks (which certainly rivaled Zenos' in size), otherwise Zenos would never have fit in. As it was, the feeling of being stretched to his limits never quite went away.

Not that he minded. 

By the time Zenos had hilted in him, he was thoroughly out of breath. “Go on,“ Sorkhatu repeated. “Your turn to pleasure me.“ 

He lay back, letting Zenos first rock into him slowly, then pick up the pace and start thrusting more forcefully. There was little finesse to his technique, but Sorkhatu didn't need any. What had happened before had been more than enough to rile him up. Being filled up like this was quite sufficient. He closed his eyes, the better to savour the feeling, and wrapped his arms around Zenos' midriff, the better to feel the scales with. 

In the end, neither had the stamina to keep it up for long. Before long, Zenos' thrusts became arrhythmic, and a moment later he lunged forward, spilling his seed into Sorkhatu. The harsh thrusts tipped Sorkhatu over the edge as well, filling his head with white noise as he tensed around Zenos with a gasp. He grasped at the bedsheets and pushed against Zenos in an attempt to get him just an ilm deeper, just a little more—

—and then the throes of climax ebbed, he relaxed and let himself fall back into the bed. Zenos pulled out and rolled off of him, coming to a rest next to him. 

“Good?“ Zenos asked.

“Good,“ Sorkhatu answered. 

There was still the question of how to return Zenos to his normal form, of course.

But maybe that question could wait until the next day.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments appreciated.


End file.
